What if I become an elf?

The border of Guao Empire.

Langdon Mountains.

The old man walked slowly through the trees.

The eyes are sunken, and wrinkles accumulate on the face like ravines, full of traces of time;

His long gray beard was braided into a beautiful braid, a crown made of black and brown thorns was worn on his head, and he wore a simple green robe hanging to the ground. The clothes were of poor quality but in harmony with the rhythm of nature.

The left hand holds a soft wooden scepter with a special green elf ball embedded on the top.

The pace is strong and steady, without a hint of staleness that an old man of this age should have.

Chun Qiao stopped, bent down, grabbed hard on the ground with his rough, calloused hands, and held it in front of his eyes.

His thumb rubbed the soil in his palm,

It is dry, and you can vaguely feel the graininess in it, as if there are fine gravel mixed in it.

He stared at the palm of his hand, his dark and deep eyes as plain as ancient wells, and there was no emotion in them.

He raised his hand casually, and the soil was spread back to the earth in a pattering pattern.

Chun Qiao raised her head and looked around.

The trees are still strong and the grass is still lush, but the faint air of death floating in the air is all too obvious.

As a forest ranger, he has lived here for more than 50 years and has dedicated most of his life to this mountain forest.

It is no exaggeration to say that he knows almost every tree and bush nearby.

How can we not be clear about the changes that have taken place in the past few years?

Looking up into the distance, the towering ridges of the Langdon Mountains block the view, covering most of the sky.

In the past, the "green barrier" that local civilians called the first line of defense to protect the empire was now bare.

With a silent sigh, Chun Qiao turned around and walked down the mountain.

He has sent countless warning letters to the imperial capital in the past few years regarding climate change.

But no matter how much I revised the wording and explained the pros and cons, the reply I got was only "read, pending discussion".

The original enthusiasm gradually cooled down with the passage of time.

He was still confused.

The empire is decayed, and he himself understands the filth and filth inside.

But within the Forestry Department of the Royal Capital, there should still be a few talents who are eager to show their talents and realize their ambitions.

He had been staying here all these years, and he had some reputation in the local area. However, he had sent so many letters without any response, which really made him doubt whether there was some deeper reason hidden in it.

I was wondering in my heart, and unconsciously, the sky gradually darkened.

Chun Qiao gently tapped the ground twice with the wooden stick in his hand.

"Ding! Ding!"

The ground beneath his feet was obviously just soft soil, but when struck by the wooden stick, it made a sound as clear and crisp as the collision of jade.

Echoing leisurely,

In the dense forest beside him, there was a soft rustling sound, and a shadow quietly appeared.

This is a strange, human-shaped Pokémon with a large white mane.

Cunning Tengu,

The dual attribute spirits of "grass" and "evil" that control the wind and leaves are also what Chun Qiao relies on to live safely in this mountain forest.

After all, Pokémon living in the wild don't care whether you are a ranger or not. In their eyes, there are only two things: companions and food.

It is completely impossible for humans, who are born with fragile bodies and are far weaker than elves, to live in this environment for decades on their own.

Long before setting foot in the Langdon Mountains, Chun Qiao released the cunning Tengu from the Poké Ball and guarded the surrounding area.

Now that it is about to enter night, the line of sight is blocked and the danger is doubled. It is safer to call the cunning tengu back to guard you.

The dim twilight shone from the horizon. Chun Qiao took advantage of the fact that it was not completely dark and looked around, and made a decision in her heart.

The journey was long and it was impossible to get down the mountain before dark.

And traveling all night is too dangerous, so finding a suitable place to spend the night is undoubtedly his best choice now.

After standing there and thinking for a moment, Chun Qiao turned around and walked towards the southeast mountainside.

10 minutes later,

"Fortunately, I remember correctly..." Chun Qiao looked at the abandoned town in front of him and couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Otherwise, we'll be in trouble if we spend the night outdoors."

Perhaps due to living in the mountains and forests all year round, his physical condition is much better than that of older people of the same age in the city, and his memory is also quite good.

The town is dilapidated, the streets are deserted, overgrown with weeds, and debris of bricks and tiles are piled up everywhere. It has obviously been abandoned for many years.

He also happened to come here a long time ago by chance.

Although it is not suitable for long-term settlement, it can be regarded as a suitable shelter for just one night.

Suddenly, Chun Qiao, who was about to enter the town, frowned.

"Ok?"

Far ahead in the sky, a wisp of dark smoke seemed to be rising.

With his keen eyesight, he even noticed a spark of fire quietly swaying among the ruins of the abandoned house as the night grew darker.

Subconsciously, he was on guard.

Guarding the inaccessible imperial border, with more than 50 years of forest ranger experience, he has seen and experienced too much.

Judging from the signs in the town, it is obvious that someone already exists.

As for the identity of the visitor, according to Chun Qiao's guess, there are two possibilities.

The first type, the people in the town are woodcutters or hunters from the mountains.

The Langdon Mountains are rich in resources. If it is just for livelihood, there is no need to go into such depths where the danger is greater.

As for the second -

border crosser.

Compared with the former, border crossers are undoubtedly more dangerous and the ingredients are more complex.

Before contact, it is difficult to judge the good and evil of the other party, and the uncertainty is extremely high.

Regardless of whether you are crossing from domestic to foreign countries, or from foreign countries to domestic countries, if you want to cross the Langdon Mountains, powerful Pokémon around you are essential.

"Be careful!"

Chun Qiao whispered secretly.

He is not afraid. His many years of experience as a ranger allow him to handle most situations calmly. Even if he encounters a situation where he must fight, the cunning tengu beside him is enough to deal with most enemies.

The wooden stick tapped the ground lightly, and Chun Qiao moved forward slowly and unhurriedly.

……

"Squeak. Squeak."

The firewood made a harsh crackling sound under the burning fire, and the red fire seeped out from the crack in the door, which was particularly conspicuous under the cover of darkness.

Chun Qiao looked at the closed door in front of her, raised her hand, and knocked lightly.

"Beep...beep..."

There was no response from the door, only the cold evening wind whistling in my ears.

He was not surprised.

After standing in front of the door and waiting for a while, with the cunning Tengu close to his side, Chun Qiao slowly opened the tattered wooden door.

The warm air blows towards your face accompanied by the swaying light of the fire.

Next to the bonfire, a slender figure wearing a large hoodie came into view.